Young Portsmouth duo secure loan deals at non-league club

Sky Bet League One club Portsmouth have continued their good relationship with non-league outfit Bognor Regis Town by sending two further young players to Nyewood Lane on loan.

The Portsmouth News have reported that Pompey have sent young midfield duo Leon Maloney and Freddie Read to the Bostik League Premier Division club to gain some first team playing experience as the players look to make the jump from academy to senior football. They join Joe Dandy, Dan Smith and Brad Lethbridge in moving to the non-league side from Portsmouth this season.

Both midfielders have featured for Pompey at Under-18 level on a regular basis this season. A Read free-kick set up teammate Harvey Rew to score Portsmouth’s first goal in Saturday’s 2-2 draw with AFC Bournemouth Under-18s at Copnor Road in the Youth Alliance League. Fellow midfielder Maloney was also in the thick of the action as he played in Alfie Stanley to bag Pompey’s second goal.

Read and Maloney are expected to be in the Bognor Regis Town matchday squad for this evening’s league match against Corinthian Casuals at ‘The Nye Camp’.

The Rocks currently find themselves in seventh position in the Bostik League Premier Division table, although it should be noted that the West Sussex outfit boast at least one game in hand over five out of the six clubs who sit above them.

The length of the loan deals for the two players has not been disclosed by either club.